Lost GPS Puck Mid-Flight

[gmahan3]

After my post work flight today I had just taken off and was hovering about 3 m and I lost my rod that holds the GPS Puck to the power distribution board. After inspection it looks like the double-sided adhesive pad simply came undone.

Has anyone had this issue or figured out how to prevent this?

 

[OneStopRC]

I don't use them, don't trust them. I situate my GPS above the screws on one of the rear arms and use two of the screws to hold down my four sided base. Works great for me and has done for years now.

 

[kloner]

be super careful with that, it'll crash ya if you were in gps mode....

 

[gmahan3]

I lost all directional control all I could do was adjust the throttle.

It was a miracle I was only 2 m off the ground.

 

[MombasaFlash]

Although it is against the policy of many I build airframes to dismantle, because sooner or later they all have to be dismantled to some degree and it is just a pain when everything is glued and taped down in inaccessible places. So I use a lot of velcro and double sided foam tape or gel. BUT, for really important things - like GPS masts - I screw them down, usually with a folding bracket to give them some protection when travelling.

Whilst on the subject of GPS masts, I am surprised that DJI has not improved the fixing arrangement. Firstly have they retained the rather loose fitting sockets which you then have to figure out how to fix securely, yet maintain the ability to rotate the puck by a couple of degrees if the MR doesn't fly straight and secondly, with the EVO they have provided a folding bracket for the base but it has a 4mm hole and is therefore too small for the supplied 5mm diameter mast. The top of the mast is still the same wobbly, loose fitting socket. Brilliant.

I wonder why they do not supply a threaded aluminium or plastic mast with locknuts - something I will fabricate once I return to my tools!

 

[gmahan3]

Happened to me again, I was able to get it in attitude mode quick enough that it righted itself.

Fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice, shame on me.

OneStop - what type of base do you use?

 

[Quinton]

That is all well and good bolting them down, however you still have a problem of how do you attach the puck to the aluminium plate, you still have to use the 3m double sided tape surely, or do people use something else?
What I did was thread the inside of the puck holder and bolted it to the frame, but you still need to be able to stick the puck to the holder.
BTW I was unable to thread the new A2 puck the same way I did with the Wookong, as there is not enough metal inside it to thread, so I just did the same with a foldable GPS holder I got from Asia.

So how do users actually stick down the GPS puck?

 

[gmahan3]

Those who mount it directly to the arm, have you ever had any signal interference cause by the puck being that close the other electronics ?

 

[DucktileMedia]

I did worse than that on my first fold-n-fly. I had the excess gps wiring wrapped in electrical tape and it came undone and sprung right into a prop. Sliced the wires right in half! but it was a good thing as it forced me to re solder them at a much shorter length.

 

[OneStopRC]

Happened to me again, I was able to get it in attitude mode quick enough that it righted itself.

Fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice, shame on me.

OneStop - what type of base do you use?

I use tha base that comes with the GPS, has the four slots in it, two of them will meet up with two screws on one of the legs, I will post a pic.

 

[gmahan3]

I don't think I'm that bad off Iris! My Cord is pretty short to begin with and thinking about using 3M dual lock to give me the ability to adjust for declination.

 

[OneStopRC]

 

[OneStopRC]

That is all well and good bolting them down, however you still have a problem of how do you attach the puck to the aluminium plate, you still have to use the 3m double sided tape surely, or do people use something else?
What I did was thread the inside of the puck holder and bolted it to the frame, but you still need to be able to stick the puck to the holder.
BTW I was unable to thread the new A2 puck the same way I did with the Wookong, as there is not enough metal inside it to thread, so I just did the same with a foldable GPS holder I got from Asia.

So how do users actually stick down the GPS puck?

I also crimped the part where the pole enters both upper and lower, it hold the puck in place and if needed I can rotate the puck and or remove it.

 

[gmahan3]

I also crimped the part where the pole enters both upper and lower, it hold the puck in place and if needed I can rotate the puck and or remove it.

So you don't have any adhesives that keeps the mast in the base? Have you ever had a problem with the mast coming out from the base or plate?

 

[kloner]

i use CA

 

[gmahan3]

Any certain type? I used Gorilla Super Glue and had the mast come out. Could have been applicator's error but it's a pretty simple process.

 

[kloner]

ever since getting into rc 25 years ago, you won;t catch me with anything but the bob smith adhesives, there usually branded with your local hobby shop on them. the medium ca is perfect for the mast....

http://www.bsi-inc.com/Pages/hobby/ca.html

nothing else even comes close

 

[OneStopRC]

So you don't have any adhesives that keeps the mast in the base? Have you ever had a problem with the mast coming out from the base or plate?

No never, not since I have had this unit has it moved on its own or fallen out. A couple of turns and an upward pull will remove it if need be, it has been pretty good.

 

[gmahan3]

Good to know. I found a foldable base that uses 1.5mm hex screws to tighten the mast at the base and the plate to the mast.

As far as securing the puck to the plate, I'm thinking about using 3M Auto Trim double sided tape.

 

[kloner]

the 3m vhb that came with the kit is the one you want, i've never seen one not stick, were you eating pizza when you built it?

the white vhb is somewhat "tuned" to the vibrations we get, you can get it at ace hardware. I like the clear gel stuff, has a red liner